The Red Cross
by LauRa-ReaDinG-XoX
Summary: Her career got her into war, her heart always set on helping people. Her thoughts on her brothers' fighting, her heart was pounding every time she saw someone with similar looks. Somewhere along the way another was added to the list to care, a man.


**AN:**Any feedback would be wonderful and a heads up, I'm Australian so sorry if the facts or wording is different to other countries. I want to say that I don't mean any disrespect to the soldiers who fought in WWII or Bill Guarnera. This is simply a story that I'm writing because I love the series and actors.

_**Summary:**__ Her career got her into war, her heart always set on helping people. Her thoughts on her brothers' fighting, her heart was pounding every time she saw someone with similar looks. Somewhere along the way another was added to the list to care, a man._

**...**

**The Red Cross**

"_**They depended on each other. And the world depended on them."  
- Tom Hanks and Steve Spielberg, Band of Brothers**_

**HER **heartbeat pounded in her ears though her hands moved on their own accorded as they knew the steps when treating her next patient. It had become a daily routine of treating the new and the old wounded soldiers every minute of the hour, no matter if it's dark or light. She glanced at the clock ticking on the wall as her stomach growled, after this patient she will go on her lunch break though she knew the longer time spent at her break, the more time she would have to spend afterwards to keep the place running as smooth as it could. She finished wrapping the soldier's leg with a bandage and smiled at the young patient before making her way towards the office. She wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist and opened the door. "Marie, I'll be taking my break now. You know where to find if needed." The brunette at the desk nodded her head as she continued to write the report.

She closed the door and made her way to the exit, trying to breathe calmly. She was sure she looked worse for wears as did Marie; the leadership was resting on their shoulders. She was starting to doubt herself in the profession she had chosen before the war hit America, though the surrounding didn't look anything like home. She wasn't sure how long she could continue working without falling apart in the mess around her. She let in another shaky breath as the wind and smell of ammo twirled around her.

"Cass!" She looked up from the ground and saw Sam attending to a wounded soldier outside the doors of the Hall. The thoughts of her lunch break flew out the window and she quickly moved towards the fellow nurse and in between the solider staring unbelievably at the wound man. She gathered her thoughts together as Sam started pressing down with her weight on one side of the soldier's body opposite from where Cassie kneeing on the ground. "The artery's hit." Her eyes quickly connected with Sam's as the same thought passed through each other's mind. Not thinking of the doubts, her hands got to work as she put a pair of fingers on his neck searching for a pulse as Cassie helped Sam stable the man. Her breath caught in her throat as she couldn't find the beating, Sam's movements slowed to a stopped as she realised the state of their patient.

"What are you doing?! Don't stop, god dam it!" She closed her eyes tightly as the breathing soldier beside her started swearing. "Do something!" She cleared her throat and turned towards the man.

"I'm sorry Private." She almost flinched at the hatred in his eyes.

"Sorry won't bring him back." He stared at the solider lying between the nurses before shifting his gun and walking away from the scene.

"Cass?" She bit her lip as her hands began to shake as they were covered in red.

"Get his tags and put them in the tin." Her voice came out steadier than she felt, the idea of another soldiers name getting put in the tin can unnerved her. Another life on her hands. At least with the name of the solider, their families will get a telegram. Though she wasn't sure which was best, receiving news of a lost one or never knowing. "Samantha, his tags." The strawberry blonde woman finally got into action and left the scene. Cassie wiped her hands on her apron as she would with any other patient and stood up from the ground brushing her skirt though she knew it was worthless. Not been able to stand looking at the solider, she turned her back and left it for someone else to clean. She could barely stay on her own two feet, let alone carry someone else weight.

She left the area and made her way to the side of the hall building, leaning against it for support. The day was far from over and she was already tired. It seemed like a fight to find the time to sleep; it was a race against time. "Cassie!"She leaned away from the building and faced the boy running towards her.

"Nathan?" The young British boy run up to her bouncing with energy that she couldn't mutter together. She took hold of Nathans hand and gave it a squeeze as she smiled at the small boy.

"Are you going to be home for lunch, I want to show you my picture?" She almost managed a smile at the innocent child.

She bent down to the level of the young boy. "What would your mother say?" They both knew very well that his mother wouldn't let him wonder the streets. She reached for his shoulder and brushed a piece of hair from his face. "Let's take you home." She stood up and glanced over the top of Nathan head, watching the group of soldiers that just arrived. The tugging on her hand made her lose sight of them, his small fingers wrapped around her as she led them to the well known street.

As they entered the front yard, she led them to the door. Nathan didn't bother knocking and walked into the kitchen were Mesilla was cleaning. "There you are Nathan." Cass raised an eye brow at the boy but didn't say anything about their earlier situation. "Cassie, this is a surprise. You are never home for lunch."

"I wanted to tell you I wouldn't make it for dinner."

"Dear, you're going to run yourself out. I'll leave a plate on the table for you." Cassie smiled at the woman that reminder so much of her own mother.

"Very well, I'll make my leave to the hospital." She gave Nathan a warning glance and shut the front door behind her as she prepared herself for the workload, it seemed like lunch was going to be a miss.

She took a steady breath as she entered the hospital that had once been a community hall. "Miss Thomas." Her eyes sorted out the young nurse.

"Alice, how many times do I have to tell you?" The girl went to apologise using Cassie's surname before closing her mouth.

"Sorry Cass."

"What is the matter?" Cassie walked through the corridor to the first unattended patient and started checking him.

"We're run out of badges; supplies don't get here for another two weeks."

"Simply use the bed sheets."

"Bed sheets?" The woman looked at Cassie stunned.

"Yes, cut them up into strips." Alice left Cassie's side, giving her the time to survey the hospital. Green, White and Red were the coloured surrounding her though the red seem to overpower the rest, as soldiers were placed on every surface possible.

**SHE **folded another ripped rag and placed it next to the medical supplies before reaching for the next clean one. Cassie followed the motion as she tried to think of what the rest of her family would be doing. Out of the six children, five of them being brothers, it wasn't an easy household. Three of her brothers, the eldest in the family were stationed in the war, the other two back home. Jason and Danny stayed back in America with the farm, keeping it running until the rest of the Ranch family could come home. An ache started in her heart as her thoughts drifted to her brother Carter. Twenty three, the same age as her though he never let her forget that he was a couple of minutes older. She sent a quiet prayer to Michael, Ryan and Carter, wishing to see them soon but not in one of the beds in the next room.

"Cassie." Samantha stood at the door way of the hospital. "You said you'd come for the night."

"I said I _might_." Cassie stressed the word as she placed another rag on the pile.

"Marie and a couple of other nurses are here, if need be they can come get us." Sam moved further into the room, staring down at the ring on her finger, fiddling with it. "You're running yourself down; you know Michael wouldn't let that happen." Samantha lived a couple of houses down from her, her best friend ended up engaged to her eldest brother. "Or Carter for that matter." At the mention of her dear twin, she moved away from the pile of rags and took as step towards the door.

"Well come on, what are you waiting for?" A smile reached Sam's lips as she threaded an arm with Cassie and made their way out of the hospital, saying a good night to the nurses on duty.

Cassie's stomach twisted into knots as she came to the door of the local pub. The idea of spending the night here started to sound less appealing as the sounds of laughter and shouts came from the other side of the door. She couldn't understand how such noises could be heard at a time like this, war wasn't pretty and most the time she couldn't escape it.

A tug on her hand made the thoughts disappear as the sound of voices filled her head; it was a change to the screams of dying men. The warm air filling the pub was welcoming from the chilly night. Samantha led them straight to the bar where she smiled at the bartender. "Pleasure seeing you here Sam."

"Are the girls here?" The bartenders eyes wonder over Cassie's body, making her suddenly wish that Sam had allowed her time to change as Cassie run her hands down the blood stained dress.

"Their usual seat near the back." He nodded his head over her shoulder.

"Thanks." Sam grabbed her hand again, making Cassie smile as her friend always stayed polite.

Taking a sip from the beer, his eyes roamed the bar. The environment was relaxing as solider in green filled the humid area. Bill Guarnere watched as the men of Easy Company laughed at Luz's joke or either butting heads with the replacements. The flash of white in the sea of green caught his attention, watching as two females in nurse corp. thread through the bodies. Both women slim, though the blonde had a slight curve to the hip but it was the woman next to her that got his attention. Brunette hair place in a messy bun with wavy strands falling out of either sides of her face, the presence around her held a sense of strong welled though she seemed unease about her surroundings. "Those dames look nice." Bill flickered his eyes to Edward Heffron before staring back at the ladies who joined a table of women.

"Nurses." Joe Toye stated as he followed Bill's line of sight.

"Bugger off, I spotted them first." Smirking at the two soldiers next to him.

"There's a whole table of them." Babe stood up in the direction of the women, Bill's hand stopped him.

"I get the small brunette." Babe simply nodded his head before making his way towards the table; Bill followed his lead with a couple of beers in his hands while Toye walked close to him.

"Mind if we join you ladies." Babe sat down at the table of nurses before one could answer.

Cassie raised an eyebrow at Sam as a couple of men joined them, she seem to be the only one nerved about it as the women smiled sweetly at the men. A well built man sat down beside her, placing a beer in front of her. "Bill."

"Cassie" She nodded her head politely at him but didn't touch the beer offered to her, instead she took in the man, his greens looked freshly washed and his Philly accent filled her ears as he spoke again.

"My friends, Babe and Joe." Each man flashed a smile at the sound of her name.

"Sammy isn't available." She eyed the man name Joe as he quietly spoke to the red head nurse.

"What the hell does that mean?" Her eyes switched back to Bill as leaned closer to her.

"She is married."

"Darling, what kind of gentleman would we be chasing after the very women that are saving our hinds?" She merely raised an eyebrow as just a minute ago the word 'hell' escaped his mouth, it made her mouth twitch into a smile at his manners.

"We've heard it all before _darling_." It wasn't uncommon for a solider to try for a one night stand on the few days they have spare before getting sent back to the front line. "I'm sure there are plenty of women who will entertain you for the night." Cassie pushed the beer in front of her towards Bill as she stood up without a glance at the beer, he followed suit his body towering over her lean one.

"What if I want your company?" She took a sharp intake at his hand on her arm, the simply touch rising hairs.

"Than you better keep on looking." Walking away from the table, her arm easily left his hand but it didn't stop the burning sensation. If she didn't know better, she would say she needed to be tested by another nurse. She cursed herself as the cold wind outside cleaned her; she had almost forgotten what it felt like to have a smoothing touch of a man. She may be surrounded by men, but it was always a gripping, killing touch as they held onto their last breath.

**AS **Cassie injected the morphine into the soldier's body, her name rang on in the large hall. Quickly bidding the sleeping man farewell she jogged to the source of the voice. Her body instantly becoming still as she entered the small room, her eyes landed on the man lying on the table. "Cassie, we need to stop the bleeding." Shelby's voice filled her ears as she stepped forward grabbing a rag from under the bench as her finger set to work on finding the bullet in the man's stomach.

"I'm going to die." Her eyes flickered up to her patient before she felt the hit artier; the man's words run through her mind. Not giving up, she grabbed Shelby's hand and placed it on the artier as she tried working the soldier back together. "I can't die; I haven't lived a full life yet." His words almost made her stop as she tried to make the bleeding stop.

"Cassie." She felt the last shutter of the body before it became motionless. Closing her eyes, she tried to block Shelby's voice out as the room spun. Opening her eyes, she came to face with a boy, not a man. The tears almost blurred her vision as she stared at the lifeless ones of the solider, reminding her so much of her younger brother back home. "Cassie?"

"I'm taking my break." She didn't wait for a response from the nurse as she couldn't find enough air to breath.

Pushing the back door open, she braced herself against the stone wall as she tried to get her shaky breath under control. It seemed like she was losing more people than saving them. That solider was a young boy, seventeen at best.

"ma'am?" Looking up from the pattern in the brick work, she took in the red headed solider standing in front of her looking sightly uncomfortable at the situation. "Do you remember me? I was at the-"

"Bar last night." She followed the man's eyes to her bloody hands that rested against the wall.

"I know where you can get some water." Water sounded like a good idea.

If she remembered correctly the man walking beside her is called Babe, she wonder how he had got the nickname there was always a story behind them, when she had the time to talk to one of her patience's the topic would always come up. Cass didn't want to start a conversation at the moment making her grateful that he hadn't started one either. "You're doing a good job." She shook her head at Babe; it didn't seem like that anymore she was losing more people than saving them.

"How long do you think the war will...continue?" It had already passed the limit of time that everyone thought it would finish, that Germany would be defeated.

"I don't know Ma'am." She was tempted to tell him that it was Cassie not Ma'am but didn't have the strength to start the conversation.

It wasn't until her thoughts finally calmed that she realised she was nearing camps of the soldiers. "So this water?"

"It's right here." She almost didn't take notice that Babe was leaning against a row of sinks, something they can use more of back at the church.

Using the edge of her palm, she moved the tap until water finally started to pour out of it washing away the dark red smears but no fully removing it as her hands stayed permantly light pink as if she had dunk her hands in a tin of red paint and it had stained them. "What company are you Sir?" Slowly she wiped her cold hands on the white discoloured dress watching as her finger tips run over the harsh dried blood.

"Easy Company Ma'am." Cassie's eye shoot up to the man standing next to Babe, he had a silly grin on his face that spelt trouble.

"And you are?"

"The Company's Radio Man, George Luz at your service." He frowned at her state but only for a second as he flashed another charming smile. "And yourself Ma'am?"

"Cassie Ranch, Nurse Corps at your beck and call." She sent him a smile only to look over his shoulder at the man across the street talking away with a few soldiers.

"Ahh the Wild Bill has caught ya eye." She cringed as Luz put an arm around her shoulders steering her in the direction of the men.

"It's the Philly in him." She glanced over at Babe's smiling face before she was met with several pairs of eyes.

"That it is boy!" Bills voice shot right back at Babe even though she was sure he didn't know the swing of the conversation or at least she hope he hadn't. "Couldn't keep away from me?" He flashed her a smile making her slightly breathless as he seemed like a different man away from the lightly lit bars though his manners hadn't changed one bit.

"I can assure you Sir; I have more control than you do."

"Donald Malarkey." A man stepped past Bill blocking her view from his response as the red head man.

She took his hand frowning slightly. "Isn't Malarkey slang-"

"Bullshit." He grinned making her know that there was no hard feelings, she was sure that the boys have messed him around about it.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Malarkey."

"See you have met our Gonorrea." She raised an eyebrow at the nickname but didn't comment as George threw an arm over Bills shoulder only to get it roughly shaken off. George started to speak but he was cut off as the sound of engines filled the air.

"Jesus Christ, whits happening?" Cass let out a sign of relief at the sight of the boxes

"It's a drop." They were finally getting some new supplies and hopefully stop having to tear up the bed sheets.

"That's not something you see every day." She continued to watch the sky fill up with boxes as Babe stood next to her.

"Cass!" Looking behind Babe, she got a clear view of Sam coming towards her in excitement. "Come on!" Duty called as always.

"It was nice meeting you all but it's time for me to get back to work." She smiled at the boys walking in the direction of Sam.

"Cassie." Her eyes shot back at Bill. "I'll see you tonight at the bar." It wasn't a question as he gave her a look that made her steps slow.

"Cass!" She frowned at him before running the rest of the way to Sam not sparing the Philly man a second glance.

"What was that?" Even though the two girls were in a brisk walk to get back to the church, Sam still manages to question Cass.

"It was nothing."

"You haven't once taken an interest in anyone, let alone a man."

"You haven't either." Either women knew Sam's situation was different as Cass's older brother happen to be engaged to the red haired woman.

"Quit being such a prude." Cass's step's slowed staring with her mouth slightly opened.

"I am not a prude! I'm a lady."

"Nice way of saying you're a prude." She couldn't help but stare at her friend who didn't bother to hide the cheeky grin.

**CASSIE **didn't know how she ended back at the bar door to the loud and smoky rooms of men, all she desired was a warm bed to relax as the day wore on with the new supply arrival.  
_I'll see you tonight at the bar._ She hadn't agreed to him but those eyes brought her back to the awful place that reflected the opposite to her tired mood. The only thing stopping her was the thought that any moment his Company could be sent back to the front line and she'll never get to know and regret not seeing him. That thought wasn't enough to make her push the heavy door to enter something she couldn't predict.

The drop of her stomach made her hands stop as Bill stood at the doorway of the office, he seemed unsettled just like her brother acted before he was sent to war. "Bill?"

"Just got my orders, we're leaving." She stared at the papers on the desk, not sure on how to act to the news. "They say we should be back in a couple of days." That's what her brother said though it had been several months since she had seen him.

"Will you write?" She finally looked back at him taking a steady breath.

"I'll try my best but you know how the mail is." She smiled at his attempt to make a joke before standing up to send him off.

"I'll see you soon." She soon became wrapped in his warmth as his arms surrounded making her feel stable once again.

"Don't work too hard." With slight hesitant he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the room making her stunned for a moment.

**IT **wouldn't stop, it kept slipping through her fingers as she tried to make it slow long enough to stable him. Sam stood on the other side trying to fix the other bullet wound in his thigh as Cass's fingers pressed against the man's stomach. It wasn't until blood trembled out of his mouth that she felt hopeless in the war. "Christ Sam, what are we doing?"

"We're helping in the war, now grab his tags." Cass took a steady breath as Sam helped her clear her head. Taking one more breath she pulled the dog tags from the soldier's neck to pause when she glanced at the name, Campbell. The name made her freeze, catching Sam's attention. "What are you doing?" Sam leaned over Cass's shoulder to only curse under her breath, something the woman rarely did.

Joseph Campbell.  
The name run through her head as she slowly walked to the building only looking up as she entered the room with a couple of nurses. "Has anyone seen Jules?"

"Last I checked she was in the lounge." Slowly nodding her at the nurse and made her way thru the room until she heard the laughter of Jules Campbell in the corner with a few nurses.

Taking a deep breath she walked over to the women talking. "Jules, we need to talk."

"I'm not going anywhere Cass, it's my night off."

"Jules-"

"Say it here." Cass gave the two other nurses a sharp nod that sent them on their way. She trained her eyes back to Jules who hadn't the faint idea what had happened as she took another sip of her drink.

"Your brother has past." The second mouth full stopped midway to Jules mouth.

"What?"

"I'm sorry Jules. There was nothing we could do, the bullets hit the arties."

"No, no, no. We were going to go back home, start a bakery together. Then he... He was meant to be the best man at my wedding...and..." Cass didn't know what to do as the woman in front of her started to weep. She did what any person would do; she sat down on the couch next to Jules and wrapped her arms around the shaking woman, her tears soaking her already strained dress.

Cass couldn't imagine what the woman was going through but the thought of her own brother bleeding on the table made her hug the woman tighter than a picture of Bill's smiling face filled her mind making her let out a shaky breath. She couldn't possibly think of anything happening to him as it made her chest thump painfully like it never had before. Bill said he would be back in a couple of days; he'll be _back_ in one piece.

**THE **couple of days turned to weeks and she was lucky to have received one letter that simply said that himself and the boys were well and they hoped to soon return to the small town. That had been days ago in itself. The blood on her seems to increase and the tears of Jules never left her mind, she needed to hear word from them, anything about Easy Company or her brothers. "Cass!" She spun around to see Sam in the door way, the smile on her face only growing larger. "There here." It could only be one thing that made Sam excited in a time like this, the return of her brothers. Leaving the bandages, Cass walked with Sam outside watching the dirt covered men entered the square.

Sam begun squeezing her hand tighter and she followed the girls sight to the two men. Sam didn't waste any time making her way to the older blonde, wrapping her arms around him. Cassie could almost see what their life would have been like if the war never happened, a pregnant Sam and Daniel helping back home with the farm. Turning her attention away from Daniel she smiled at her other brother, his green eyes and dark brown hair matched her own though the scar underneath his right eye. She automatically reached forward to take care of the manner, only to have Carter softy grab her hand with a smile. "I'm quiet alright sister." She couldn't help the emotions that suddenly took hold of her and wrapped her arms around her brother. She missed her family dearly, but Carter was like her other half as did everything, one of the reasons why she signed up for the Nurse Crops.

**IT** was that night that Cassie was able to get the night off with Sam to spent time with her brothers; she hadn't seen Sam so happy since the war had started though Cassie did feel guilty at putting her personal life before her patients. "Loosen up." Carter pushed a beer in front of her, giving her one of his cheeky smiles that led her to doing anything. When Daniel didn't say anything but shake his head, she took a swing. She took the smoke from Carters mouth pulling it out on the table as she gave him a disbelieving look.

Sam and Daniel moved from the table to discuss privately. "I thought you said you had quite, there unhealthy." Cassie pointed the conversation at her brother, her twin had promised to stop.

"The war is unhealthy for me, yet I'm still doing it." The harsh words knocked the air out of her. "Anyways, I like smoking." He leant over and placed a kiss on her forehead, it was his way of apologising. She wasn't about to stop him from doing something he enjoyed, she gave him a hug making Carter tense up. "Should I be worried that group of the paratroopers are glaring at me?" At the mention of paratroopers, Cassie didn't waste any time grabbing her brother's hand and taking her over to the men.

"When did you get back?" She couldn't help herself; she pulled George into a hug as she thought the weeks of fighting at the lines would last forever.

"Not too long ago, who's the man?" He nodded his head to Carter but her eyes were looking for Bill, she watched him take another drink looking over the edge of the glass at her. "Cassie?"

"Oh." She grabbed her twins hand again. "This is my brother Carter."

Carter stepped forward and held his hand out to George. "It's nice to meet you..."

"George."

"I see my sister is forever making new friends, it's good to know she hasn't got too lost in her work." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder thankful to be around his twin once again. They were usually side by side, that was until the war started than everything change including their relationship.

"How about I take ya over to the rest of the boys?" George sent her wink that didn't go unnoticed by Carter. They pushed through the crowd until they reached the clustered table with Easy Company surround it. "Look who I found boys!" A cheer run through them as Babe moved aside to make room for her. She took in each face noticing the new harsh lines that had appeared while they had been on the front but it seemed they still had the strength to act like them drunken selves. "And meet her brother Carter." He received greetings as George pushed a beer into the fella's hands.

Cassie nodded her head as Babe mentions something; she wasn't sure what the topic was about as she watched Bill talk with Malarkey. The crazy hand gestures he was making as he spoke passionately about something. "Cassie?" Babe's voice broke her train for thought.

"Yeah that's fantastic Babe." Her heard Martin and Babe laughing at her so she turned her attention to the two men. "What's so dam funny?"

"Cass, I wasn't saying _anything_." She blushed at the mistake of her reply that she had been caught out not paying attention to the solider. "Hey Bill, think it's time you asked your fair lady for a dance." Bill turned his attention at her, a smile twitching at the side of his lips. He stood up from his conversation and made his way towards her.

"Could I have this dance?" She glanced behind him at the few local girls dancing with soldiers', one of them happened to be Carter. She shook her head accepting the held out hand.

She almost freezed up as Bill pulled her close to his body; she could feel his hand burning through the fabric of her dress. "Relax would ya? I ain't going to bite." She took his advice and hesitantly laid her head on his shoulder, she was wrapped in pure safety as the man slow danced with her.

She wishes it could have continued when Lucy interrupted her dance. "Cassie, Ryan has been brought in." The news made her squeeze tightly on Bills hand- her younger brother wasn't meant to be coming back for a break for another week or so which meant he was at the one place she feared all her brothers would end up.

Lucy stared at her waiting for some kind of action when Bill brought her back to reality."Come on, let's go see him." They made their way out of the bar with Carter close behind them.

Once they reached the hospital Daniel was leaning in the doorway with Sam beside him, he let his two siblings pass him as he continued to stare at his injured brother. He didn't need a nurse to him that he wasn't going to survive the night.

"Hey Ryan." Cassie bent down to his level at the cot and moved the sweaty stands of hair from out of his eyes.

"Hey ya Cass." She almost smiled as he replied like normal; the only evidence of something being wrong with her brother was the fabric covering his stomach soaked with blood. Ryan followed his sister's eyes to his stomach. "They say a couple of hours." He tried to keep a straight face as silent tears started to run down Cassie's cheeks. "Who's the man?" Ryan nodded his head to the fella standing behind his sister.

"Ryan this is Bill." Even with the pain running through him he shook the man's hand feeling the nice strong grip. He was waiting for his sister to add something on the end of the sentence but it never came, he could tell from the way they acted around each other that he was more than friends. He wanted to be a brother and bother her about men, but Ryan was happy to know that someone was there for his sister if anything ever happened to the family.

"I'll leave you two." Bill moved to stand with Carter giving the two siblings a chance to say goodbye. "His not going to last long." Carter nodded his head watching the interaction between his younger family. It made him think of the two sibling back home, the letter they are going to receive but he wish to write one and have them hear it from him instead of the military. The two boys back home wouldn't handle the new best but they had each other, Cassie on the other hand was stuck in this town, in this hospital caring for others and less herself.

"Do you care for her?" Carter watched the slight nod of the man's head, relief running through him. "Make her happy." They stared at one another, a silent message between them. The sob that filled the room brought both men to the attention of the woman lying on the chest of her brother. Carter took in a deep breath, in the nose and out the mouth. Taking a glance behind him at Daniel, they shared a nodded of understanding.

**SHE** worked, fixing patients and making them better or at least stopping them from the outcome of her brother Ryan. She couldn't hold down any source of food and water, her diet not going unnoticed her friends. It was Bill that found her crying that night, his arms creating a safe haven around her. He whispered sweet words and told her stories of Philadelphia and the loss of his own brother when the war started. "I don't want to continue." Her words came out rough and slow. "What's the point?" There was no response from Bill for a few moments before he kissed the palms of her hands.

"Because it might be worth it in the end." He said softly.

"I-" He didn't give me time to answer. He let me go, then placed his hand under my chin and forced my head up lightly, his lips meeting mine lightly at first, then hungrily, his hands embracing my face as he deepened the kiss. I gasped wildly, pressing myself closer against him. I hadn't realized how badly I truly had wanted to kiss him, he made everything seem possible.


End file.
